In today's information age, it's hard to imagine many high school seniors who aren't on Facebook. Not only is it a great way for friends to stay connected, but the popular social networking website is also another way for college admissions officials to assess your college application.

Increasing numbers of college admissions departments are searching for prospective applicants on social networking sites such as Facebook to get a better idea of who they are assessing. According to Mercury News, some students post material that may hurt their college application. The news source advises that profiles and privacy settings should be kept private, and that users be careful when uploading images that they might not want college admissions officials to see. Careless mistakes on Facebook can ruin an otherwise great application.

"Countless hours doing homework, and for them to torpedo their chances and not make sure their Facebook page reflects a positive view of them would be very foolish," Jeff Kurtzman, associate director of college guidance at the McCallie School in Tennessee, told the Time Free Press.

If you use social networking sites, make sure your profile reflects positive attributes and your accomplishments. Remember – college admissions officials may be looking to Facebook to determine whether or not your college application will be successful.